Dithiocarbamates　(DTCs)　pesticides　were　extensively　used　as　fungicides　in　a　variety　of　crops　during　their　growth,　storage　and　shipment.　The　DTCs　residue　in　foods　will　seriously　harm　human　health.　In　this　study,　a　novel　multicolor　colorimetric　sensor　was　developed　for　visual　screening　of　total　DTCs　(total　of　ziram,　thiram　and　zineb)　based　on　sulfhydryl-mediated　growth　of　gold　nanobipyramids　(AuNBPs).　We　demonstrated　that　DTCs　can　absorb　on　AuNBPs　seed＇s　surface　via　the　formation　of　Au–S　bonds　and　thus　impede　the　8-hydroxyquinoline　(8-HQ)-promoted　AuNBPs　growth,　which　generates　DTCs　concentration-corresponding　color　changes.　The　developed　sensor　has　vivid　color　changes,　short　analysis　time,　higher　sensitivity　and　excellent　specificity.　It　can　be　used　to　detect　as　low　as　50　nM　of　total　DTCs　by　bare　eye　observation　and　17–18　nM　of　total　DTCs　by　UV–visible　spectrometry.　By　using　the　multicolor　sensor,　we　have　successfully　screened　total　DTCs　in　apple　and　black　tea　by　bare　eye　observation,　and　detected　total　DTCs　in　apple　and　black　tea　by　UV–visible　spectrometry　with　a　recovery　of　90%–104%　and　a　relative　standard　deviation　(RSD,　n　=　5)　＜　5%.　The　results　obtained　with　our　method　consisted　well　with　those　obtained　with　high-performance　liquid　chromatography-tandem　mass　spectrometry　(HPLC-MS/MS),　verifying　that　our　method　had　good　accuracy　and　reliability.　Especially,　the　visual　detection　limit　of　our　method　is　much　lower　than　the　maximum　residue　limit　of　total　DTCs　in　vegetable　and　fruits.　All　above　features　make　our　sensor　a　promising　method　for　rapid　on-site　screening　of　total　DTCs　in　vegetable　and　fruits　by　only　bare　eye　observation.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.